Damp mop

ABSTRACT

A damp mop for plane surfaces, having two mop plates  1, 2  with a mop pad  35  that are secured to a handle  13 , are joined with the interposition of a double joint  3 , and can be pressed against one another by means of pressure arms  19, 20  disposed on a slide sleeve, the handle  13  being secured pivotably to the double joint  3  via a cardan joint  8.

[0001] The invention relates to a damp mop as generically defined by thepreamble to claim 1.

[0002] One such damp mop was disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,744. Adisadvantage of that embodiment is that the handle cannot be pivoted inthe main mopping direction. This makes it extremely difficult andsometimes impossible to mop under cupboards and in interstices.

[0003] This disadvantage also pertains to the mopping device of EuropeanPatent Disclosure EP 0 494 021 B1.

[0004] The object of the invention is to create a damp mop for planesurfaces with which it is possible to clean under low furniture in themain mopping direction as well, and with which mopping can be done innarrow interstices. Simple, secure and malfunction-free manipulationmust be assured.

[0005] This object is attained with the characteristics of the body ofclaim 1.

[0006] With the cardan joint, it is possible to mop in an especiallyflat position, so that work can be done even under low cupboards.Furthermore, the cardan joint makes mopping possible in any direction,and in particular including counter to the main wiping direction. Thismakes professional-style mopping possible, in a so-called figure-8pattern. The articulation of the pressure arms on the mop plates viaguide devices also makes it possible to squeeze out the mop in anyarbitrary position. There is no need to balance the handle in a defineddirection to the mop plates.

[0007] Other features of the invention can be learned from the dependentclaims. In an especially simple way, the guidance of the pressure armsis effected by V-shaped guide ribs onto the mop plates that allow thepressure arms to slide to pressure faces on the mop plates. Naturally,these guide ribs can also be replaced with guide grooves.

[0008] An especially elegant way of attaining the object is achieved byproviding that slaving parts are formed onto each of the mop platestoward the joint and are guided in grooves in the pressure arms. In afurther feature, the grooves are provided with an undercut, by way ofwhich the slaving parts are interlocked by nonpositive engagement. Thismakes it possible, without any additional spring or other aids, tostraighten out the mop plates after the mop has been squeezed out.

[0009] To optimize the squeezing force, run-up faces that slope upwardon the mop plates are provided for the pressure arms, which reach theirhigh point at the pressure face.

[0010] To stabilize the mop plates in the mopping process, the slavingparts and basic joint parts formed onto the double joint are innonpositive contact.

[0011] One exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described infurther detail below in conjunction with the drawings. Shown are:

[0012]FIG. 1, a perspective view of a damp mop;

[0013]FIG. 2, a longitudinal section of the onset of engagement of thepressure arms with the mop plates;

[0014]FIG. 3, a longitudinal section in the retracted position of themop plates; and

[0015]FIG. 4, a longitudinal section at the instant of slaving of themop plates in the direction of the extended position.

[0016] Two mop plates 1 and 2 are joined together with the interpositionof a double joint 3. The double joint 3 is formed by two hinges 4, 5,which form the connection from an intermediate plate 6 to the two mopplates 1 and 2. Two basic joint parts 7 are formed onto the intermediateplate 6 and receive a cardan joint 8. The cardan joint 8 comprises alengthwise shaft 9, supported in the basic joint parts 7, with shafthead 10 that in turn is pierced by a transverse shaft 11 on which ahandle receptacle 12 is rotatably supported. A handle 13 is connected tothe handle receptacle 12.

[0017] A slide sleeve 14 is displaceably supported on the handle 13 upto a stop 15 that is secured to the handle 13. The slide sleeve 14 iscomposed of a gripping part 16, the sliding region 17 with a guide slot18, and the pressure arms 19 and 20 that are formed on in forkedfashion.

[0018] For squeezing out the mop, the pressure arms 19, 20 can bebrought into operative connection with the mop plates 1 and 2 via theslide sleeve 14. To that end, one slaving part 21, 22 is formed ontoeach of the mop plates 1 and 2 toward the joint. The slaving parts 21,22 stand perpendicularly on the mop plates 1, 2 and rest with a face 23,as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, on a back face 24 of the basic joint parts 7.When the slide sleeve 14 is displaced in the direction of the arrow 25out of its position shown in FIG. 1, the pressure arms 19, 20 come intoengagement with the slaving parts 21 and 22. To that end, each of thepressure arms 19 and 20 has a groove 26, and these grooves are eachterminated at the ends 27 by a respective wall 28. Because of theresilience of the construction, upon impact of the pressure arms 19, 20with the slaving parts 21, 22, the walls 28 yield in such a way that, asshown in FIG. 2, they lock behind L-shaped extensions 29, which take theform of a ball 30. The L-shaped extension 29 has the cross-sectionalshape of the groove 26, so that good sliding performance and secureguidance are assured.

[0019] Further displacement of the slide sleeve 14 in the direction ofthe arrow 26 causes the mop plates 1 and 2 to fold inward and togetheras shown in FIG. 3, thus squeezing out the mop pad 35. In the process,pressure ribs 31 slide on upward-sloping pressure faces 32 on the mopplates 1 and 2.

[0020] After the mop pad, not shown in all the drawings, has beensqueezed out via the mop plates 1 and 2, the slide sleeve 14 isretracted counter to the direction 25, until the walls 28 strike theball 30 and thus extend the mop plates 1, 2 and put them in the positionshown in FIG. 2. Further retraction of the slide sleeve 14 causes thewalls 28, because of the natural spring properties of the materials, toyield backward under pressure so far that the position shown in FIG. 1is regained. In this position, by means of the cardan joint, mopping inany direction is possible. Even if the handle 13 is positioned veryobliquely, the pressure arms 19 and 20 reliably meet the slaving parts21 and 22, an effect contributed to by the inlet radii 33 at the end 34of the pressure arms 19, 20.

1. A damp mop for plane surfaces, having two mop plates (1, 2) with amop pad (35) that are secured to a handle (13), are joined with theinterposition of a double joint (3), and can be pressed against oneanother by means of pressure arms (19, 20) disposed on a slide sleeve,the handle (3) being secured pivotably to the double joint (4, 5, 6),and the slide sleeve (14) being supported on the handle (13), and thepressure arms (19, 20) being formed onto the slide sleeve and beingcapable of being brought into engagement with the mop plates (1, 2) andmop pad (35), characterized in that the handle with the slide sleeve(14) is secured to the double joint (3) via a cardan joint (8), andguide devices are provided on the mop plates (1, 2) and/or the pressurearms (19, 20) for defined creasing of the mop plates (1, 2) by means ofthe pressure arms (19, 20).
 2. The damp mop of claim 1, characterized inthat guide ribs or guide grooves extending in a V to a pressure face(32) are provided on the mop plates (1, 2).
 3. The damp mop of claim 1,characterized in that one slaving part (21, 22) is formed on the jointside of each of the mop plates (1, 2), and that grooves (26) that guidethe slaving parts (21, 22) are provided in the pressure arms (19, 20).4. The damp mop of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that pressure faces(32) for the pressure arms (19, 20) are formed onto the mop plates (1,2) and slope upward toward the outside from the center.
 5. The damp mopof claim 3 or claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the grooves areprovided with an undercut (28) for the sake of nonpositive-engagementinterlocking to the slaving part (21, 22).
 6. The damp mop of one ofclaims 2-5, characterized in that the slaving part (21, 22) is formed onat right angles to the mop plate (1, 2) in contact with a basic jointpart (7) and terminates in the form of a ball (30) in an L-shapedextension.
 7. The damp mop of claim 6, characterized in that two basicjoint parts (7) are each formed on peripherally at right angles on theintermediate plate (6) that forms the double joint and together with theintermediate plate, in the extended state of the mop plates, form anonpositive engagement unit.